How To Make Your Resolutions Actually Happen

Happy New Year! We made it! Sayonara, 2020. Helloooo, 2021 - you beautiful opportunity for a fresh start. I love the feeling of a new year. It's the perfect time to take a moment to reflect on the past year, where you are, and where you want to be. I want this to be the year you make your goals a reality. That's the topic of today's video!

What successes did you have in 2020?

Before diving into goals for the new year, think about what things went well in last year! 2020 was a year no one saw coming. It was filled with unpredictable challenges and changes. Take some time to reflect on your accomplishments and the moments that make you proud. Really - write them down! This was a tough year and you made it through.

Reflect on where you are and where you want to be.

Did you go into 2020 with goals that didn't end up happening? What prevented you from achieving those goals? How can you set yourself up for success this time? How do you want to feel this year? Instead of just saying, "I am going to get into a consistent fitness routine" write out what that looks like and how you're going to make that happen. For example, "I am going to workout for 20 minutes three times a week before I start work". Identify what time you need to wake up to make that happen and schedule those workouts into your calendar.

We are all busy all of the time. If you keep waiting for the perfect time to start healthy habits when life isn't so busy those habits will never happen. Your busy life will become more comfortable when you start to implement small changes today.

Where do you want to be in 20 years?

Think about some little steps you can start doing now to move forward towards becoming that person you want to be in 20 years, not just one year. What do you want your career to look like in 20 years? What kind of work/life balance do you want to have?

Taking action will give you a greater sense of purpose and motivation day-to-day. Frequently, I hear that you have plans to move forward in your career in five years. But five years flies by! If you keep telling yourself in 5 years you'll move into the industry you really want to be in, 5 years from now you may find yourself stuck where you are now. Start taking small actions now to progress towards those dreams. When you start taking actions today, you will feel more connected to your ultimate goals and passions.

When you move past the "wanting" and "wishing" stage and start taking action (however small), you will wake up feeling so much more energized and happy.

What advice would that 20 year-future-version-of-yourself give you now?

This exercise can give you a lot of insight into what you really should be prioritizing. Think about who you want to be in 20 years. How does that person act? What does their life look like? And what wisdom would that version of you give to your present self?

I was introduced to this exercise when I read "Playing Big" by Tara Mohr, and I absolutely love it. Take some time to reflect on the future version of yourself and what they would say. You'll discover you already carry a lot of wisdom for what you SHOULD be prioritizing now.

My guess is that version of you is going to tell you to stress less and have a little more fun. So often we get so caught up in our goals and daily life, that we start losing sight of what really matters. You're likely not going to tell yourself to keep working all hours of the day sacrificing time with friends and family. Are you taking care of yourself?

This exercise can help to uncover the areas of your life that you know deep down are hindering your happiness. Listen to that advice.

Start Small and Take Action

I do not want you to go into January all gung-ho to stick to your resolutions and then to have lost all of your steam by March. If you want these resolutions and goals to stick, you need to look at the big picture and then start small.

Do you want to workout for an hour five days a week but you haven't been working out at all? Start small. If you go in too strong, you're at risk of burn out or getting injured. Instead, break down your resolutions into monthly goals and then weekly goals to stay on track. For tips on creating goals and staying on track check out these posts:

• Weekly Reflections: Achieve Your Goals and Break Bad Habits Early
• How to Create Habits for Success
• Goal Setting: How To Set Your Self Up for Success

Happy New Year! I'm so excited for the amazing things you're going to accomplish this year.